25-10-2023
Becoming NET POSITIVE: Pioneering Sustainable Business Growth with Sam Zindel
In this episode, we sit down with Sam Zindel, Co-Managing Director of the award-winning digital growth agency, Propellernet, and founder of Low Carbon Leaders. As a devoted activist in climate-positive initiatives, Sam delves deep into how businesses can be both profitable and planet-friendly.
Key Highlights:
Evolution of Environmental Consciousness: Sam talks about his journey from being passively aware to actively contributing towards climate change solutions, driven by both fatherhood and a sense of long-term responsibility.
Challenges for SMEs: Despite the algorithmic bubbles of LinkedIn showing businesses increasingly focusing on sustainability, the reality is that a minuscule 1-5% of SMEs are actively participating in sustainable practices.
The Business Case for Sustainability: Sam shares actionable insights on how businesses can save money while improving sustainability, debunking the myth that eco-friendly measures are costly.
Million Tree Pledge & Beyond: Apart from reducing carbon footprints, Sam and his team are also focusing on restoring nature and working on climate justice, recently launching the ambitious Million Tree Pledge.
Funding Sustainable Initiatives: A look into the investment landscape for green initiatives, including emerging markets for carbon, biodiversity, and ecosystem credits.
Shaping Consumer Behaviour: As the head of a marketing agency, Sam elucidates the power marketing has in shaping consumer choices towards sustainability, a capability he considers both a challenge and an opportunity.
Long-term Business Strategy: Reinforced by his reading of Paul Polman's 'Net Positive', Sam firmly believes that sustainability is not just ethically sound but also a robust, long-term business strategy.
The Path Forward: Sam concludes with a call to action—urging businesses to take whatever steps they can today, no matter how small, to contribute towards a more sustainable future.
This episode is not just an eye-opener but a clarion call for businesses to integrate sustainability into their growth strategy. If you want your business to be relevant in the next five years, you cannot afford to miss this episode.
Resources Mentioned
Low Carbon Leaders - http://www.lowcarbonleaders.org/
Million Tree Pledge - https://www.milliontreepledge.org/
The Gold Standard Verification -https://www.goldstandard.org/
Sam’s penny-dropping moment - Hummingbird In Africa story - https://www.ted.com/talks/alice_wyatt_i_will_be_a_hummingbird/transcript
Climate Change Business Transition to NET ZERO course - https://www.cisl.cam.ac.uk/education/learn-online
Blue Earth Summit - https://blueearthsummit.com/
TEDx - https://www.ted.com/about/programs-initiatives/tedx-program
Bcorp certification / bLab - https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/
Sussex Bay - Blue eco system restoration work - https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/helpourkelp
Carbon Credits (Investing) - https://www.forestcarbon.co.uk/knowledge-base/carbon-credits-and-offsetting
Carbon Trading - https://climatepromise.undp.org/news-and-stories/what-are-carbon-markets-and-why-are-they-important
(Book) Net Positive - https://netpositive.world/book/
(Book) Richard Walker - The Green Grocer - https://www.iceland.co.uk/p/the-green-grocer-book---richard-walker/87164.html
1% for the planet - https://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/
Clean Growth - https://www.clean-growth.uk/
People, Planet, Pint - https://small99.co.uk/people-planet-pint-meetup/
Dad La Soul - https://www.dadlasoul.com/
COP UN Conference - https://www.chathamhouse.org/2023/09/what-cop28-and-why-it-important
Propellernet Impact reports - https://www.propellernet.co.uk/reporting-impact/
Wholegrain Digital - https://www.wholegraindigital.com/
Krystal Hosting - https://krystal.uk/
Al Gore Speeches - TED Talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_what_the_fossil_fuel_industry_doesn_t_want_you_to_know?language=en
David Attenborough talk at COP26 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7EpiXViSIQ